Want to do Project-Based Learning with Your Students?

Think back to the most epic learning experience you ever had. Chances are, it wasn't a worksheet or a section review or a lecture. It was probably a project. A real project. The kind of project where you had authentic voice and choice. And chances are, you remember that teacher forever because of the willingness to take a huge creative risk.

This is at the heart of project-based learning. Our world is changing. At one time, we could depend on a formula: do well in school, go to college, and climb the corporate ladder. But things have changed. The ladder is gone and in its place is a maze. Our students will need to know how to problem-solve and navigate this maze. As automation and artificial intelligence continue, they will need to know how to work within the Creative Economy. They will need to think like engineers and artists and entrepreneurs.

This might sound terrifying but there’s also a hidden opportunity. Our students will rewrite the rules.

But this requires projects.

Real projects.

The kind that students own.

And when this happens, students' lives are changed.

You're In the Right Place

If you're here, there's a good chance you’re probably curious about project-based learning. Maybe you’ve heard the term before but you’re not sure what it means. Maybe you’ve tried to do projects before but they fell flat or they weren’t aligned to the standards or the groups didn’t function well. For me, the PBL journey started back when I was in middle school when I did this epic project that changed my life forever. Later, when I was a teacher, I wanted to be that same kind of teacher for my own students. Maybe your story is like mine. Perhaps you have that epic teacher who inspired you to become a teacher and now you want to do the same thing for your students but you’re not sure where to start.

For the last few years, I’ve done PBL training throughout the world and I’ve surveyed teachers who are just starting out with project-based learning. Here are the most common questions.

What is PBL?

How do I get groups to work together?

How can I ensure exceptional learners and ELL students have access to the projects?

What about the structures and scaffolds?

How do I design the assessments?

Where do I start?

How do you make time for PBL?

Sound familiar?

These are the questions we all ask along the way. These were the same types of questions I had when starting out on my PBL journey and they were the questions I continued to explore for over a decade as a teacher who taught through a project-based learning framework.

But at the time, I had to learn through trial and error. I spent years figuring out what to do. For this reason, I spent the last years interviewing experts throughout the PBL community with the goal of creating a self-paced course for anyone who wants to explore project-based learning. I've also led countless PBL workshops and I continue to use PBL as an instructor.

Introducing the Introduction to PBL Course

This course offers an initial exploration of PBL. I walk you step-by-step through the process and share key insights along the way.

• Easy-to-follow lessons? YES
• Instructional videos? YES
• Protocols you can use and modify? YES
• Complete PBL projects and unit plans? YES

About This 5-Lesson Course

This course is grounded in proven principles and strategies that work. It’s broken down into simple, step-by-step lessons that allow you to walk through the PBL process. Each lesson will leave you with resources, optional extensions, and an easy-to-follow action item as you begin your PBL journey.

No guesswork.

No reverse engineering.

No more hours or searching the internet for something that makes sense.

Ten Hours of Intentional Self-Paced Professional Learning

This course is designed to take 10 hours total. You get to decide when and where you spend those ten hours.

There are five lessons that each take

• 20 minutes: reading and video
• 70 minutes: individual assignment
• 20 minutes: discussion

There is also 25 minutes built in for exploring additional resources (and exploring the course initially) as well as 25 minutes for final reflections, revisions, and sending materials for your course certificates.

How This Course Works: Easy as 1-2-3

1. You will start the day’s lesson by reading the text and watching 15-20 minute video.
2. You will then apply what you learned by completing an action-oriented assignment.
3. You will reflect on your learning and engage with a community in the discussion area.